


more alive than ever

by hanakj



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Fandom, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Accidental god au, Angst, BAMF Annabeth Chase, BAMF Hazel Levesque, BAMF Nico di Angelo, BAMF Piper McLean, BAMF Will Solace, Bisexual Annabeth Chase, Bisexual Frank Zhang, Bisexual Hazel Levesque, Bisexual Jason Grace, Bisexual Leo Valdez, Bisexual Percy Jackson, Blood Manipulation, Blood and Gore, Bloodbending, Camp Half-Blood (Percy Jackson), Dark Jason Grace, Dark Percy, Dark Percy Jackson, Dark!Percy, Dead Jason Grace, Eidolons, Everyone Needs Therapy, Fluff, God!Percy, Hurt Percy, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Lesbian Piper McLean, Mental Breakdown, Multi, OH BTW THE DEATH ISNT PERMANENT, Past Jason Grace/Piper McLean, Percy Jackson is a Mess, Pipabeth - Freeform, Post-Tartarus (Percy Jackson), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sad Percy Jackson, Scared Percy Jackson, Self-Harm, THE MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH ISNT PERMANANT, The Fates - Freeform, Trauma, everyone is a BAMF, everyone is bi fight me, for now tho ;), frank and hazel are just friends, ghost jason grace, ghost!jason grace, god AU, ish, its not fun and games when you take out an eeye, jason grace is dead, jercy - Freeform, kind of, past jasiper, percabeth, poison manipulation, posessed jason grace, trigger warning, unfortunately, whooP
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-02-23 14:27:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 13,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23712958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanakj/pseuds/hanakj
Summary: It wasn’t Annabeth, I was looking at. It was me, golden ichor eyes and a sludgy liquid flowing from my palms and eyes as if it was mist. The ichor mixed into the liquid, which formed a deep and shimmering purple that put any color to shame.No. This wasn’t me. I staggered back, tripping and the purple waves engulfed me. The mirror image of myself did not even move.•••••••The purple cleared from my vision. I was lying on the top of the Zeus Cabin. Someone was on top of me, holding a hand to my cheek.“Wake up.”My eyes flew open. Kneeling in a purple mist form, was no one other than my late best friend, Jason Grace.++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++accidental god au/god!percyin which percy somehow becomes a god against his will. he really wants to fix this. inspired by @percy-jackson-of-neptune on tumblr!
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase/Piper McLean, Jason Grace/Percy Jackson, Leo Valdez/Frank Zhang, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace
Comments: 62
Kudos: 179





	1. i didn't ask to be a halfblood

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warnings will be at chapter notes in the front!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW:  
> blood  
> bodyeye horror  
> death mentions  
> kidnapping mentions  
> drowning mention
> 
> (all the "mention(s)" are extremely brief, some are only 1 word)

_**PERCY'S P.O.V.** _

Look, I never wanted to be a halfblood. That was always the first thing in my head after Luke’s betrayal. Beckendorf’s death. Silena’s death. The Prophecy of Seven. “I never wanted to be a halfblood.” It was true. Friends and family died, got injured, kidnapped, the list goes on. In mortal world laws, Camp Halfblood likely has committed more crimes against the Geneva Convention than any amount of monster’s we’ve killed. I guess though… After years of dealing with wars and shit I can’t change that. But maybe it does get better. 

It’s been almost four years since the Second Olympian War. Three since I was taken by Hera. Once since Gaia’s defeat. Six months since Apollo came knocking on my door. Three since… Since Jason Grace died. Two months since things have been relatively normal.

Well, as normal as a child soldier of the Greek Gods could be. Yeah, PTSD was a bitch.

•••••••

I never wanted to be a halfblood, but maybe it wasn’t all that bad… I rested my head on Annabeth’s shoulder. Annabeth Chase, love of my life, anchor of my sanity, some other lovey dovery stupid Shakespearian poetic shit. I still had her. I always had her. I hope I’ll always have her. She simply grabbed my hand and lied her cheek on my head. Our legs were tangled together, even I wasn’t quite sure who was sitting on top of whom. 

Common sight here. It was just public knowledge that I, Percy Jackson and my wickedly smart girlfriend Annabeth Chase, were very much in love. And nearly inseparable. Beth had just moved into my cabin. Athena wasn’t all that thrilled (at least, I was guessing, but I’m not so much of an idiot to believe my girlfriend’s mom would like her sleeping with the son of Poseidon– good Gods, not “sleeping with” like that. Jeez.) but Annabeth didn’t seem to care. To say that her mom and Annabeth didn’t have a good relationship was a major understatement.

Anyways, seeing both of us entangled together, a mess of fingers intertwined, heads being rested on, legs hooked around another, never was a surprise sight to any campers. Everyone knew what we went through. Best to let the two traumatized demigods just stay together for now. Even though everyone cooed outwardly, saying things like “relationship goals!” and “awww, so cute!” I know that behind our backs many whisper things like “they went to Tartarus.” and “Don’t even try forcing them apart.” 

•••••••

It wasn’t the only thing they whisper about us. Being one of the prophesied seven, our whole group was gossiped about a lot. New campers were told the stories upon arrival. How Hera took me. Swapped me with Jason Grace. How Nico DiAngelo almost died. How there was another camp, how Leo Valdez was possessed and attacked New Rome. Their adventure (if you could call it that) to Rome. Percy and Annabeth’s fall into the deepest pits of Tartarus. No one knows what happened down there but them. No one knew what it looked like but them and DiAngelo. The return of the Athena Pantheon. The war. 

Child of the Big Three. The one who was taken by Hera. Who retrieved Zeus’ bolt. Who pretty much saved this goddamn world not only once, but twice. Sometimes it felt as if prying eyes never left me. I felt like a celebrity, except no one wanted to approach for autographs. They all seem afraid from these stories. Frequent nightmares that almost always results in the Naiads at my door grumbling about the flooding likely doesn’t help my case either. It’s always me they talk about.

It really sucks. I don't want the new campers to be afraid. I try to be friendly. Thankfully, people did warm up after a bit. I just never could get over the initial fear. 

But it was only me. Annabeth was scarier than I am. Leo can set buildings on fire. Frank can shape-shift, has a ripped bod, and can command dead legions of demigods. Hell, Nico literally raised the dead, and he was always giving a sulky vibe from afar. What made me specifically, the worst? The most dangerous? 

Deep down, I think I know. I don’t want to think about it. 

_ But maybe, just maybe, being a halfblood isn’t so bad, _ I thought, turning my head to give a kiss to Annabeth before we parted to teach our respective activities. 

* * *

**_PERCY’S P.O.V._ **

No. 

No no no no. 

“Percy!” Her voice was rough like sandpaper from breathing the pure glass air. “Percy where are you?” My heart shattered. Where was she? There. At the edge. 

No.

“Annabeth! Don’t move!” I yelled. Talking felt as if my entire throat was scabbed up. “Percy? Why did you leave me?” 

“Annie, no, I didn’t leave you!” Why was I moving so slowly? “Percy, you promised!” Her foot was barely on the ledge. 

“Don’t move! Annie, I’m still here, I didn’t break a promise!” The world focused in HD. I didn’t realize her eyes were shut, nor did I realize how grainy my vision was. She stepped off the ledge, but didn’t fall, as if she were suspended on an invisible platform. Her eyes open. They were bright. A bright golden color, with tears of gold streaming down her face. They were flooding fast. Tartarus underneath her made an awful sound, but she didn’t flinch. 

It was ichor. Her ichor was going to drown me. “You did break it though, Perseus.” Her voice sounded wrong. So so wrong. It sounded like… The fates. 

“You turned down immortality, but here you are. Take a look at yourself in the mirror.”

The room changed subtly. It wasn’t Annabeth, I was looking at. It was me, golden ichor eyes and a sludgy liquid flowing from my palms and eyes as if it was mist. The ichor mixed into the liquid, which formed a deep and shimmering purple that put any color to shame. 

No. This wasn’t me. I staggered back, tripping and the purple waves engulfed me. The mirror image of myself did not even move. 

•••••••

The purple cleared from my vision. I was lying on the top of the Zeus Cabin. Someone was on top of me, holding a hand to my cheek. 

“Wake up.”

My eyes flew open. Kneeling in a purple mist form, was no one other than my late best friend, Jason Grace. 


	2. cough it up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something is wrong with Percy Jackson. Then again, when isn't there?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW:  
> blood  
> gore  
> vomiting/emeto (sort of)

**_PERCY’S P.O.V._ **

Ok, I’ve officially begun to hallucinate. How did I get on top of the Zeus Cabin? What was that dream about? And how in Hades was Jason here right now? Not quite alive, and was ghosty.

“Jason.” Yes, it was a stupid thing to say. I croaked it out hoarsely. Like that the hell are you going to say when your dead best friend comes back as a ghost, but also isn’t even supposed to become a ghost? What was going on? Obviously my ADHD brain couldn't handle it so it gave up and went, “Yeah, ok. Not the weirdest shit I’ve seen.”

“You need to find Annabeth.” Jason’s eyes were steely grey, as always. The only thing that looked full of life and not purple.

“How are you,” He coughed. Jason frowned. “Get Will and Nico also.” the blonde’s face was doing the cute worried lip bite, the one he usually made when deep in thought. Percy’s heart ached. He missed him. “Get Hazel too.” He added. 

I have never been more confused. That’s saying a lot. “What?” The mucus in my throat was daring to come up in another cough. To be expected, somehow ending up asleep outside. 

“Go, I only have until morning time.” Jason’s voice was urgent. That woke me up real quick. “Till morning?” The sun wasn;’t rising yet, but a lighter purple at a corner of the sky threatened me. I only had an hour or so. I nodded and climbed hastily down the cabin roof, dashing to the closest cabin, Hades’s. 

“What the hell–” A voice grumbled angrily. To my suprise, it was Will who said it. “Wake Nico please. Tell him to shadow travel Hazel here.” Will didn’t question me. He just nodded. 

A disembodied voice whispered in my ear. It was chilling, but it was Jason. “Go to bunker 9. Leo isn’t there right now and won’t go in while you’re there. Get go get Annabeth now.” I felt his presence vanish.

“When you guys get Hazel, meet me at Bunker 9. That also means you, Will.” Will was half awake and confused. So was I. My stomach growled. I needed some french toast or something. Stupid ghost Jason haunting me. 

_ You are going insane, _ a part of his mind argued. The other simply said,  _ no, you’re not. _

Great.

I barged into my cabin, where a me-sized indent in the mattress was. Annabeth had her arm outstretched. I could imagine her arm draped around my waist as if I was lying there. I hurried and shook her awake. “‘Beth, wake up please.” She grumbled and pulled the covers over her and rolled over to face the other way. 

“Annabeth, wake up please. Wise girl.” I gave her a kiss on the cheek and she opened her eyes. “Ughg… Percyyyyy…” She grumbled, propping herself up on her elbow and looking at the digital clock to her left. “It’s like 4 in the morning.” 

“It’s important,” Annabeth sighed as she heard how urgent I was. She stood and tugged on some socks and a jacket, then her shoes. 

“Nightmare?”

“Something like that. We’re going to bunker 9.”

* * *

**_ANNABETH’S P.O.V._ **

It was a crisp autumn morning. If you could even call it that. The stars were still out, the sky dark. I averted my eyes to the muddy tennis shoes I was wearing. Percy was vibrating with an anxious energy. Most demigods normally had some form of ADHD. Kept us hardwired for battle. Thankfully things had winded down recently. I haven’t seen my boyfriend like this for a while. I took his hand.

“Nice morning, huh?” He coughed into his elbow and smiled at me. “Yeah.” 

“Coming down with something?” His voice was raspy and he sounded like he inhaled a maraca. Every breath he took was shuddering. “Something like that.” I studied him. It wasn’t a cold, Percy never got them. It could be pneumonia, or bronchitis, but where the hell would he have gotten that from? 

Another ragged breath in. Pain struck me. Same sounds as… As there. He was breathing like it was acid air. His lungs were rattling like how they did after I forced him to drink fire. It saved him, but it also destroyed his lungs. Metaphorically, of course. But what if…  _ No Annabeth Chase, you will be positive. It’s likely a cold. Nothing some nectar and ambrosia won’t fix. We are fine and safe here. _

•••••••

We finally arrived at bunker 9. We went inside. Percy seemed distant. Sometimes he got like this. PTSD. I tapped his arm. He turned. “Sorry. Long night.”

“Really, because it was pretty short for me.” The familiar voice of Will grumbled. He was draped over the couch Leo had put in there to sleep on when working on long projects. The thing looked years old. 

“Gods, Will. Scared the shit out of me.” Percy took a deep breath, and doubled over in more rattling coughs. Will frowned and rolled off the sofa over to us. I was about to see if Percy was ok, but something caught my eye. Out of the shadow emerged Nico and Hazel. 

They carried two bags of McDonalds. Nico looked exhausted, and so did Hazel. Annabeth guessed Nico shadow traveled to New Rome and brought Hazel back. And then I guess he was craving some Micky D’s. The siblings exchanged looks. 

“Is Sea World over there doing okay?” My heart dropped in guilt. Percy was still hacking up a fit, now having been lowered to his knees on the floor by Will who placed a hand on his chest and back, asking him to take deep breaths. 

“I dunno.” Nico obviously meant the question to be for Will, but Will was examining my boyfriend and I’d prefer the healer to not take an eye off the love of my life, who sounded like a smoker of a few centuries. Hazel headed over wordlessly and hugged me. We all watched Will try to coax a deep, steady breath from the boy on the floor. I frowned. Something was wrong. Bringing me, two children of Hades (or Pluto), and a healer… Something was very wrong. 

Finally, Percy coughed hard, and the rattling was gone. Will’s eyes widened and he sat back on his heels to give Percy space.   
“Percy? You’re worrying me. You’re worrying _us_. Are you okay?” Dumb question, but it didn’t hurt to ask.

My boyfriend turned around. Liquid rust ran down his chin, staining his lips. The liquid was splattered on his shirt and palms, where it looked like he tried to stop it from coming out of his mouth.

The smell hit me. It was iron. It was blood. And behind him, was a puddle of his blood, more than what should have been able to come out of his body without him dying. 

“You… You just…” He looked at me solemnly. His blue eyes stormy and dark. 

“I just coughed out my heart.” And there it was indeed. Percy Jackson was quite literally holding his heart. 


	3. he should be dead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logistics of Percy Jackson's internal anatomy (or lack therefore of)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW:  
> blood  
> gore  
> heart gore (?)  
> death  
> shock and fainting  
> vomiting/emeto mentions

**_PERCY’S P.O.V._ **

Before getting Annabeth, I coughed. No one was around, and the loogie or whatever was caught in the back of my throat. I could certainly afford to spit it in the bushes. No shame for me, if no one saw. 

What came up was not green or yellow mucus.

It was blood. And a lot of it. The smell almost made me gag again.

Jason’s hand settled on my shoulder. “See why we need everybody?” I turned to ask him something. Why was  _ he _ here, does he know what’s happening to me, how he was here, why he was acting so… un-Jason like. Why he was acting as a shell. An empty shell of his former self.

I needed to hurry to get Annabeth and meet the others at the bunker.

•••••••

_ Shit. This is so fucking stupid. I’m going to die from coughing out all my internal organs. Nothing cool or heroic. Rest in peace, Percy Jackson August 18th 1993 to October 7th, 2012. Died from getting the flu and ending up coughing so hard his brains came out.  _ Yeah, that last bit was a bit too much. I decided to scratch that out for the obituary I hoped Annabeth would read. 

It hurt. It hurt like the poison that nearly killed me in Tartarus. It felt worse than the Phlegethon fire water. It burned more than the Death Mist. It stung like I swallowed the Cocytus River’s water. 

Coughing was all I could do. No matter how much I wanted to scream, All that came up were sandpaper coughs. Suddenly, Will withdrew his hands, falling back on his heels in surprise. 

Blood was dripping through my hands that were covering my coughs. I could feel it soak my shirt and the knees of my jeans. Jason looked down with warm concern. Real Jason. I couldn’t feel excited or happy or relieved Jason wasn’t 100% a shell of who he once was. 

All I could feel was the horror when I saw my own heart in front of me, bloodied in my hands.

I knew one thing.

I should be dead. 

•••••••

“You’re not dead,” Nico dully noted.

“I noticed, thanks.”

“You also coughed up all of your blood. That,” Nico gestured to the blood that had pooled around him. “Is roughly how much blood an average human has.” I looked down. It was still running, expanding. 

_ Sorry Leo, but your bunker concrete floors will forever be stained by my blood. Oh by the way, I’m out for milk. Love, Percy XOXO _

That was the note I decided to leave for Leo. Sorry dude.

“Now would also be a good time to mention Jason behind you.” Hazel’s voice said shakily. She looked as if she’d seen a ghost. Or a zombie. Possibly both. 

“Annabeth?” She looked scared. Pale. Shocked. The fear in her eyes was almost the same. When she saw me try to… You know. But she wasn’t afraid of me this time. She looked afraid for me.

“Percy, what have you done?” Her voice was shaky and breathy and high. She was staring at the heart in my hand. Ok, that was super gross. I couldn’t just drop it. It's like, my heart, you know? Or it was. 

“Jason is behind you.” Hazel noted again. 

“You literally shouldn’t be alive.” Nico said plainly.   
“None of your other internal organs are there. They simply vanished,” Will added in horror.

“You…” Annabeth fainted. Will and Hazel moved quickly to pick up the falling blonde. I should've moved, ran to her, gasped, cried, something, anything. I just watched. 

“Nico is wrong.” Jason spoke. Everyone looked at him.

“How so?” It wasn’t in malice. Nico just cocked his head to the side. Likely not his first time seeing ghost Jason, I decided. 

“Percy still has blood in him.” It was true. I could feel it rushing in my ears.

“I can’t sense any blood or internal organs inside of him.” Will shook his head. “It feels similar to like…” He frowned, before shrugging helplessly.

“And the huge pool of blood he vomited up is what roughly makes around the entire human body,” Nico retorted.

“Percy knows.” This wasn’t Jason I decided. It was like eidolon Jason. He was in there somewhere, but right now it wasn’t him. I could feel the blood running in my ears. I couldn’t hear a heartbeat. 

“Oh gods.” I doubled over, dry heaving. I still clutched my heart in my hands. No. This isn’t right.

“Percy still has blood. He’s still alive.” Jason-not-Jason smirked. 

“He’s more alive than ever.” Then, he attacked.

* * *

**_ANNABETH’S P.O.V._ **

“You’re not dead,” Nico dully noted.

“I noticed, thanks.”

“You also coughed up all of your blood. That,” Nico gestured to the blood that had pooled around him. “Is roughly how much blood an average human has.” I looked down by Percy’s feet.. It was still running, expanding. 

“Now would also be a good time to mention Jason behind you.” Hazel’s voice said shakily. She looked as if she’d seen a ghost. Or a zombie. Possibly both. She barely even registered the purple ghost behind, but this wasn’t the time.

“Annabeth?” I was scared. What did he do to himself? What had done this to him?

“Percy, what have you done?” I wanted to conceal the terror in my voice, but the heart that still throbbed faintly, weakly, in his hands made me unable to hold my voice steady. It was disgusting and horrifying. It was sick and whoever did this to Percy, oh Gods… Hell hath no wrath like a mad woman whose boyfriend was cursed to throw up his own heart. 

“Jason is behind you.” Hazel noted again. Underwater. 

“You literally shouldn’t be alive.” Nico said plainly. Far away.  
“None of your other internal organs are there. They simply vanished,” Will added in horror. Barely a whisper.

“You…” Then I fainted. 

•••••••

I can handle blood, I swear, It just… the smell. It was all over Percy. It looked awful. He stood there. He looked fine. But he was holding a human heart in his hands. His clothes and face and hands covered in blood. The shining fear in his eyes. Jason, behind him.

When the human brain cannot handle things, sometimes your heartbeat slows down. Gods knows mine was at 200 bpm. I was scared as hell. My boyfriend scientifically, should have died in front of me, but was still standing. Your brain will tell your heart to slow down, and the combination of blood pressure and heart rate drops causes you to pass out.

I couldn’t handle it. I thought I could. I shook with anger internally. We’d gone through so much. He’d gone through so much. Now whatever this bullshit was? Neither of us needed it. Especially not Percy.

Now I felt like I was in the Cocytus river again. Despair swirled. The gods were punishing me for failing in the Mark of Athena quest. They were punishing me for letting my blood awaken Gaea. They were punishing Percy for Akhlys. For letting his blood touch the ground, for–

“Annabeth Chase, I swear on the River of Styx if you don’t wake up, I will slap you.” Charmspeak laced into her unconsciousness and she woke up with a gasp and a sob.

“Thank the Gods.” Piper sobbed with relief, throwing herself over me. I was in the infirmary. Leo was chatting with Frank, who looked pale. The shorter one was trying to crack jokes. Hazel wasn’t anywhere to be seen.

“Where’s Percy?”


	4. what runs through their heads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will, Hazel, and Nico's point of views. Stage left, Piper and Frank.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW:  
> blood  
> gore  
> death mentions  
> injuries  
> vomiting/emeto
> 
> [last chapter to tag blood & gore as it likely will be present in nearly every chapter.]

_**WILL’S P.O.V.** _

Never have I seen this before. Percy’s lungs were filling up with something. At first it seemed like hypothermia. The ragged breaths and the sound of liquid in his lungs. I kept sensing something strange inside, but when he coughed out the blood, I sensed nothing. All his internal organs were gone. They burned up. Whatever was inside caught like fire on dry paper. 

It was shocking. It was horrifying. I’d never read of any myths involving some sort of magical zombie virus that Jackson seemed to contract. 

Yeah I'm a healer. Doctor. Infirmary worker, whatever. I’ve seen bone, death, gashes so deep scars looked like teeth of a T-Rex tore the skin. I’d never in my life seen someone cough up his own heart. I nearly vomited too, but the smells in the room were bad enough as it is. I don’t remember saying anything, but apparently I did. 

And suddenly, Annabeth was falling. Something was happening behind us, but I couldn't look. It was so gruesome.  _ Don’t be weak Solace.  _ One side of me mocked.  _ Focus on Annabeth right now. Focus on what you can fix. _ That, I could do. After realizing she as just in shock, he asked Hazel to take her to the infirmary, and to wake the other seven. Hazel nodded and picked the tall blonde up. Damn, she was strong. Annabeth was out of the line of fire. Out of the line of whatever the hell was going on with Percy Jackson. 

That always seemed to be the question, doesn’t it?

* * *

**_HAZEL’S P.O.V._ **

By the time I arrived at the infirmary and thrust Annabeth into Kayla’s arms, I was already wiped. I shadow traveled from New Rome, and then here, then to a McDonalds, to which I’m sure I only ate one fry before the bottom of the bag was soaked in Percy’s blood. 

I was running to the Aphrodite cabin, throwing open the door, getting hit with a face of makeup. Drew had installed it a few years back as a security measure to ensure no one entered the cabin without knocking or permission. It didn’t wear off for five hours, to my dismay. But today I couldn’t care less. Some of the boys on the other side of the room stirred and then dove under the covers.

Gosh! I couldn't help but to fan myself, pushing thoughts out of my head. I know i’m like 16 now, but still, the modern world is so far from the old one. It does only feel like 3 years ago I was with Sammy, or in Alaska. No, I’m here for Piper.

Piper. God, Jason was there. Jason was there. He wasn’t alive, but I saw him die and now I saw him there. This wasn’t right, but then again I came back to life, so i shouldn’t be one to judge. Piper. What’s she going to say about this? Why did Will need me to get Piper, and the rest of the seven? This can’t be another prophecy, could it?

Piper groaned. “Hazel…?” I paused and turned around. I missed her bed! Not now Hazel, you’ve got a mission. I simply pulled her out of the bed. I felt bad to wake her so suddenly, but she seemed to get the jist. “What’s happened?” He grabbed Katropis and a jacket and we jogged out.

“Let… Let Annabeth tell you. Or Will. Or Nico. Maybe Percy, but that’s off the table. Go find Leo and then try to wake Annabeth up with charmspeak, she’s in the infirmary with Kayla. I’ll be back.” I frantically told her.

I do not recommend anyone dove headfirst into shadow travel, as I ended up falling from a bunk onto Frank. He yelped and grabbed a small knife by his bedside table.

“It’s just me Frank!” He relaxed. “What’s going on?” He sat up, awake now. I felt guilty about crushing him, but I guess he’s pretty big… I likely just interrupted his bulldog dreams or something. 

“We gotta go.” 

“Let me uh, grab a shirt....”

“Oh.” I sheepishly grinned. "Hurry up though." My playful mood dissipated when I remembered why I was here. 

A gentle yet calloused hand took mine. “Let’s go. You can explain later.” I gave a quick and tired grin before I pulled him with me into the Shadows.

* * *

**_NICO’S P.O.V._ **

I’m not going to beat a dead horse, or whatever the saying is. I fully expected for Percy to drop dead. And then he didn’t. Gods, this boy was always something new.

But something did die. He couldn’t pin on what. And Jason was right behind Percy, who stood horrified. 

Jason was not alive, but he was here. Barely. Whoever it was, was only wearing the face of Jason. 

“You’re not dead,” Stupid of him to say, yes. True, yes.

“I noticed, thanks.” 

“You also coughed up all of your blood. That,” I gestured to the blood that had pooled around him. “Is roughly how much blood an average human has.” 

“Now would also be a good time to mention Jason behind you.” Hazel’s voice said shakily. I wanted to grab my sister's hand, but I myself was in too much shock to move. 

“Annabeth?” Percy pleaded, pure pain, love, and fear in his eyes. Annabeth looked the same. No pang hit his heart, other than the fact one of his friends might be dead or dying. 

“Percy, what have you done?” Annabeth’s heart rate was slowing. 

“Jason is behind you.” Hazel noted again. 

“You literally shouldn’t be alive.” I didn’t know what else to say.

“None of your other internal organs are there. They simply vanished,” Will added in horror. So that’s great, I thought grimly. 

“You…” Annabeth fainted. Will and Hazel moved quickly to pick up the falling blonde. I didn’t focus on Annabeth, but on Percy. It wasn’t that I hated Annabeth, or still loved Percy, Gods no. But one was dying, the other was in shock, and I knew i’d need to help with the dying one before I accidentally killed the one in shock. 

“Nico is wrong.” Jason spoke.  _ Huh? _

“How so?” I wasn’t angry. Confused. Curious. Oddly calm. This sensation wasn’t right. 

“Percy still has blood in him.” I couldn’t hear it. I heard something, but what?

“I can’t sense any blood or internal organs inside of him.” Will shook his head. “It feels similar to like…” He frowned, before shrugging helplessly. I felt the same way. 

“And the huge pool of blood he vomited up is what roughly makes around the entire human body,” There had to be factual reason for this. 

“Percy knows.” Jason was barely present. 

“Oh gods.” Percy doubled over, dry heaving He still clutched my heart in his hands. No. This isn’t right, Percy doen’t deserve this. Annabeth doesn’t deserve this. What was happening? 

“Percy still has blood. He’s still alive.” Nico saw a demonic glint in the not-Jason’s smile. “He’s more alive than ever.” Then, he attacked.

I thrust my hands up, the concrete opening it, swallowing Jason whole. I turned around and vomited. I then promptly passed out.

I can’t wait to wake up to Will ripping me a new one.


	5. poisonous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy rivals Jason for times being unconscious in 24 hours. However Percy wins since he's alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW:  
> More blood and gore.  
> poison  
> the whole heart thing again  
> seizures  
> breakdowns

_**PERCY’S P.O.V.** _

No. This can’t be it. No. Exploding the lake from a nightmare is one thing. But this? I’m dangerous. I’m extremely dangerous. I’m a monster.

“Percy?” I blinked at my name. I realized I’m in the infirmary. Everything was heightened. I could hear every heartbeat, every pulse rate, every liquid in the room. It made me sick. So what else could I do, but turn and vomit in a trash bin that had been shoved to me seconds before. 

“Out,” I rasped. The trashcan was filled with blood. “Get out,” Fear struck me, noticing the amount of people in the room. No one moved.  _ I can’t afford to lose my temper.  _

“Get out. Now. Please. One person. Will.” Will shot a look around the room and shooed everyone out. I could hear one heartbeat now. I let go of a breath I’d been holding. And then I screamed.

In a second, Will was all over, trying to calm me down. I let him push me to the bed, where I just screamed and sobbed until I lost the energy. 

“Sorry.” 

“Don’t be.” Will gave a warm smile. 

“I need to go.”

“Not after you threw up two gallons worth of blood, and your fucking heart.”

“Oh right.” I paled. “What’d you do with it?”

“Hm?”

“My heart.”

“It’s in a jar.” His thumb jerked to what indeed, was my heart inside of a jar. I snorted. And then started giggling, then laughing, full on hysterical.

“I survived, literal hell, Tarturus,” I wheezed. “And then a huge war,” Wheeze. “To end up vomiting my heart,” Wheeze. “And destroying all my organs,” Wheeeeeeze. “And now I have no blood in me,” WHEEEEEZE. “And I’m still kicking it.” 

Will chuckled along too. I could see it was halfhearted. 

“And my heart is in a cleaned out jiffy peanut butter jar.” I lost it again, laughing so hard my stomach (could I even call it that if I didn’t have one? Oh fuck, could I even eat?) hurt. 

Eventually, I slept. 

* * *

_**WILL’S P.O.V.** _

Nico had woken up and was patched up. I sent him to rest in his cabin before Percy woke. Piper was essentially holding Annabeth hostage in the infirmary halls. Few others, like Hazel, as well as Frank and his boyfriend (who was Leo!) hung around. Jason’s ghost was nowhere to be seen, thanks to my scary powerful and dumbass boyfriend.

Percy woke up. HIs eyes were a sharp blue, the kind that’s so bright blue, the one very blue on a color wheel. Not light enough to be neon but not dark enough to be a calm navy. It was pure energy. His eyes were pure energy. 

He then asked for everyone to get out. HIs eyes color changed rapidly to a dusty blue. He was afraid. He was shaking, whether he knew it or not. 

I waited it out. His emotions were flying so fast, he went back to sleep after a little while. I was pretty exhausted, being woken up at 4 A.M. Luckily, Kayla came and told me to go take a nap in the cabin, or at least another cot. I was too tired to object.

Lots of things had been strange today, but waking up to Percy seizing was another one of the most concerning things that had happened. 

* * *

_**PERCY’S P.O.V.** _

“You know what you are Jackson.”

“Or should we call you Perseus?” 

“Or Aíma?”

“Perseus means ‘Destroyer’. Aíma means ‘Blood”. Personally I like Aíma. Rebranding can be good.”

“Caedis is good too. ‘Slaughter’. ‘Bloodshed.’ ‘Murder.’ Fits you quite well, doesn’t it?”

The voice was familiar and cruel. I couldn’t see anything. A heavy weight was pulling my chest down. It was like gravity struck an arrow and it kept trying to push all of him down too. 

“What…” It hurt. Even in this dream it hurt, I knew it was a dream, but why did it hurt so much?” 

“It’s still poisoning you. You need to draw it out, or you might die.” The voice was now Jason. 

“What is?” The weight was lifted when the voice left. 

“Your human blood.”

•••••••

I woke up to a searing pain, and immediately passed out again. Maybe I passed out. I hear people yelling, some crying, some frantic. I can’t make out what any of them are saying, and my vision is still black.

The poison. Blood is the poison. I need to get it out. That's why I was coughing it all up. I opened my eyes, still shaking violently, but Will and Kayla took a step back to see what was happening. 

I needed to get it out, quick. I searched for it inside of me, finding the quick tug. One pull and it could be out of my body. My sight vanished as I felt the blood start running out of my eyes, I felt it come out of my nose and tear it’s way out of my throat. I felt it even start to come out of my ears. Someone was trying to feed my ambrosia, but I pushed away. So much blood, so much pain. 

Jason was right. Whoever he was was right. I was being poisoned, slowly, by my own blood.

•••••••

Someone vomited. A few people left crying. It was probably a gruesome sight, if I could I would have shuddered at the sight of me bleeding from every orifice on my face. 

“Water,” I croaked. Someone came back within a minute with a plastic water bottle. They opened it and dumped it over my face. I blinked away the blood from my eyes.

I was clean. It was still hurting, but I got it all out. I thought I did get most of it out in the bunker, but supposedly not. The water would heal me, so I let go of consciousness.

•••••••

I was now rivaling Jason in times spent unconscious in 24 hours. Jason… Where was he?

“Caedis,” That old voice sounded.

“Percy,” I replied. 

“Caedis,” It insisted back. “Bloodshed. Murder. Slaughter.”

“I’m none of those.”

“Are you now?” Wherever I was, in a dream, another realm, whatever the hell, something sucker punched me in the stomach real good. 

Silena’s death. Bianca’s death. Annabeth holding the sky up. The ship exploding, leaving behind Beckendorf. Leo the first time. Jason. So many people died because of him. So many people. I gasped for air.

“Not my fault,” I insisted. It wasn’t. I knew that deep down, but sometimes… Old wounds don't fade easily. 

“Always your fault. And look at what they’ve made you. Look at what you’ve made yourself.” 

“And what is that now?” I tried to be snarky. Sarcasm is the best thing to hide behind. Instead I was totally aware how meek and afraid I sounded. 

A cheshire grin of someone familiar, but the face kept shifting. I couldn’t pinpoint it.

“A God.” 

I woke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also i havent been active in this fandom forever, and i forgot that like hazel is 14 and frank is 16 and even tho they're aged up in my fic and hazel's like 16, frank is still like 18 and i was like nope  
> and then i found some cute fraleo / valdzang so that's their shtp now. i dont make the rules i just enforce them lmao. 
> 
> ALSO the next few chapters are still gonna be gory but like i promise it gets better. this isn't a kill percy fic dshkdjh


	6. living but not human

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo sets the record straight. Will works without a crowd, thank you very much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW:  
> Eye horror  
> gore  
> blood  
> emeto/vomiting  
> seizures  
> mentions of drownings/choking

_**WILL’S P.O.V.** _

I woke up, and stretched, chatting with Kayla before we switched infirmary breaks.

“What do you think is wrong with Percy?” His sister shrugged sadly. “Annabeth and I researched. Frank and Hazel helped out too. Leo wanted to but he kept getting so nervous that he’s lighting his hands on fire, which… is not the best idea when dealing with scrolls and books.” I nodded, waiting for her to get on with the point. ADHD wasn’t easy to have, but when everyone else around you had it, you never felt out of place or rushed. 

“We looked for possibilities that it may be a side effect of Tartarus. Annabeth mentioned they drank fire from the Phlegethon. The issue is that–”

“–Annabeth would’ve caught it too, by now.” Kayla nodded solemnly.

“Perhaps there was some sort of sickness from Tartarus.”

“We explored the idea of Tartarus putting part of itself in Percy... but Annabeth disputed it.” I nodded. 

“Anything happening because of Tartarus would be happening to Annabeth and Nico too.” Kayla nodded darkly. I began thinking. This means it was something only Percy got. He hadn’t been attacked or on any quests as of late, so I didn’t have any idea where he could have gotten it from. But maybe…

“So it’s from the mortal world.” 

“Yes.”

This is bad.

“Get Rachel now. I’ll go check on Percy–” A guttural scream cut me off. Shit. I tore into the infirmary, where Percy was on the floor, shaking violently. Fuck.

“Percy, can you hear me?” I asked while turning him to his side. It was obvious he’d fallen off of the bed. He didn’t respond, so I started counting and pushing the beds away from him. He was in a clonic stage of a seizure. Someone walked in and gasped. I wasn't sure who. 

“Go get the Apollo cabin healers, _now_.”

This was horrifying. Percy Jackson, with the stare of a wolf, or something worse, with a wine red aura, those stormy calculating eyes that were even more dangerous than Annabeths, scarred skin that never fully healed, was not powerless on the floor. 

He was more powerful than I’d ever seen him. Suddenly, he stopped shaking. Several people burst into the room.

Percy again started to shake violently, but it wasn’t a seizure. It was a bone rattling shake, the one you make when thrown against a building and have seven broken ribs, or the one where your fingers are turning blue and you’re in the snow. Perhaps the one you wake up with in a cold sweat.

Someone screamed behind me. Annabeth.

“Get her out!” I ordered. Someone was crying, someone was charmspeaking. He opened his eyes. Kayla stepped back. She’d joined my side and didn’t even notice it. His eyes were welling with blood, it slowed out his nose, he was coughing it up, his lungs sounded wet with it. It even was leaking out of his ears.

I turned around and vomited.

“He’s not taking it,” Kayla said frantically, trying to shove a square of ambrosia down his throat. Her hands were covered in his blood. Behind her, Annabeth was being held down by Frank, who she cried and pleaded and squirmed in his grasp. 

Suddenly, Percy stopped. The blood flowing from his face halted. “Water,” he croaked. Someone –Leo– grabbed a water bottle and dumped it on him. Consciousness returned for a split moment, and he blinked the blood out of his eyes. Then, he fell limp.

“Percy,” Voice was rough like sandpaper. I didn’t know if him being eerily still was better than the thrashing. He was speaking to me.

“Yes, that’s you. Can you see or hear me?” Kneeling down, I looked into those blank eyes, usually swirling with color was none. They were a light grey, lighter than Annabeths, almost a milky white. I took his pulse. It was so slow. Too slow. Someone in the room needed to grab something to help him..

“Nectar,” I ordered and someone vanished to grab it.

“I’m none of those.” Guilt flooded the son of Poseidon’s voice. 

“Percy?” I asked. He wasn't awake, I realized. Dreaming with eyes wide open. He gasped for air like a fish out of water. A hand thrust out a vial of Nectar and I forced it down Percy’s throat.

“There’s people outside waiting to get in. Should I let them?”

“No, keep everyone out. Especially Annabeth. Get her out now please.” You can call bullshit, but my demigod intuition had never been wrong about anything. I had to trust this too.

“Not my fault,” Percy cried out. 

“Percy, wake up,” I pleaded. Annabeth Chase would have my head if I let her boyfriend die. I’m good at holding emotions back behind bars in my mind when dealing with patients. Usually lives were on the line, and I couldn't afford to get emotional. Percy Jackson was breaking those metal bars inside me. 

“And what is that now?” He asked, timidly. He stopped shaking hard, only trembling slightly. I heard a yell from Frank. Annabeth. Shit.

“Keep her back!” When I turned back to Percy, he was getting up. The blood had somehow vanished. All of it, the blood was gone. My jeans weren’t stained or soaked with it. I couldn't see his face, but I knew that it showed no sign of the blood he’d cried or coughed up. The atmosphere in the room changed. Everyone shut up, 

When Percy Jackson turned around, his eyes were pure gold. No irises, no pupils. Liquified, pure gold.

Ichor. Blood of the gods.

* * *

**_LEO’S P.O.V._ **

Let Leo set the record straight for y’all! For the most part, I was left in the dark too. Woken up, to be told that Percy Jackson just flooded my fucking workshop with his blood, and that he is dead, but not, so like, what’s going on?

Hazel had gotten to meet up with me and Piper, Frank in her tow. Man, I hadn’t seen him for months. Drachmas were endlessly used for Iris Messages. Long distance relationships suck, but it’s not too bad when both of your best friends can instantly teleport you to each other. I gave him a bear hug, which I thought was funny.

“Not turning into a bear, Leo.” Ah, he reads my mind. I grinned, before turning to Hazel.

“What’s up? We got a party? The whole gang is he– Oh, don’t tell me it’s the anniversary.” Hazel shook her head. Nico appeared behind her, using her shadow. She gave her brother a quick kiss on the cheek to greet him. It was familial and warm, like how Piper was to me. Nico smiled, which was a nice sight to see. But the smile quickly faded into something solemn.

Fuck, it’s like, 4:30 in the morning. “No. It’s not Leo,” Hazel said softly. “It’s worse.”

“Man, what could be worse than reliving the trauma of the day I died and there was a huge war?” I joked, Frank deflating behind me. I was leaning on him and I could practically feel him shrink. I took his hand and squeezed a morse code message to him.

_I’m still here._

He squeezed back, _Don’t joke about it though._

I squeezed again. It meant nothing in morse, just the universal reassurance of

_I’m okay._

“Percy he,” Hazel’s eyes got distant and she visibly bit back a sob. Gods. He's dead. I’m an idiot and a jerk to be joking around. God. Not this. Nico grabbed her hand and Piper patted her back soothingly.

“He should be dead.” Nico explained. Well, I think he was trying to, but telling me a demigod was supposed to be dead just added more questions.

“Sorry.” Nico frowned and restarted.

“At like 4 this morning, Percy stormed into my cabin and woke me and Will up –Shut up, you don’t give grief to Percy and Annabeth for sharing beds– Telling me to go get Hazel and meet him at bunker 9.”

“Hey, when’d he get permission to–” I stopped under the deadly gaze of one short Italian. Even though we became close friends recently, he could still be so scary!

“When we got there, we were early, so I went to go get McDonald’s with Hazel. When we got back, Percy and Annabeth were there. Percy started coughing a lot, and Will went to check on him. He kept coughing and…” Wait. Was _Nico_ tearing up? Swallowing my dread, I asked “Then?”

“Will was so shocked. You know how he can sense people’s internal anatomy right? Like an x ray? And how I am able to sense death? Even Hazel felt it.” She nodded. I hadn’t noticed the tears that were falling from her eyes silently. I grabbed her hand sand squeezed. 

“Percy died?” Frank’s voice trembled behind me. I felt cold. Like Khione trapped me in ice or blasted me with the power of a freezy pop. 

“No. Hazel and I felt him die. Will said all of his internal organs burned up. When Percy turned around there was blood everywhere. He’d coughed up his own heart.” Frank took a step back from behind me. Piper looked at the ground. I could see her pupils shaking in disbelief. In fear.

“So he’s dead?” I couldn’t bring myself to feel. I knew if I did I might catch on fire and never be able to put it out again.

“No. he’s alive. And one more thing…” Piper looked up at me.

“Apparently… Jason was there.” _What?_

“No, he’s dead Pipes.” Voice, don’t betray me now. Nico began to explain how Jason’s ghost was there, how he acted like the Eidolons and that Nico had no choice but to open the ground to swallow him. How Annabeth had fainted moments before and Hazel ran off with her to the infirmary, where Kayla took care of her. Yes, she was fine physically, but mentally she was in shock. She kept asking for Percy. Piper had to charmspeak her back to sleep. She was going to wake up soon. 

“So where’s Percy?” Frank asked tearfully.

“He collapsed after I did. Will carried us both to the infirmary. I woke up and healed pretty quick with the ambrosia, but Percy’s been asleep for about 10 minutes since he got here. He woke up, vomited, and then told everyone to get out. He screamed for about a minute and then started laughing, and then passed out again. Will’s talking to Kayla about whatever this disease thing is–”

All the hairs stood up on the back of my neck. We were outside of the infirmary, just right outside. Nico rushed in, followed by Annabeth, who’d apparently woken up from the waiting area couch that I hadn’t even noticed she was lying on, due to the gargled yell that came where Percy was. Will was telling people to get out, even as Frank, Hazel, and I ran in as well. 

Percy was crying blood. He sounded like he was drowning in it. Annabeth was screaming. Frank grappled with her, until she was in his arms, like a chained animal. Her eyes were lighted with fear and fury. I’m not going to lie and say it wasn’t terrifying. 

“Calm down. Go to sleep. You will have good dreams. You will relax now.” I felt my eyelids drooping at Piper’s charmspeak which she was using, trying to help Frank contain the blonde fury.

“Water,” Percy croaked. I didn’t know who heard so I scanned the room, before finding a water bottle. Water helped Percy heal quickly, so I knew what he was asking. 

I’d rather have done a real and good prank… Dumping water on the son of Poseidon this way was nothing fun. He fell limp. _Fuck. I made it worse, didn’t I. I’m a screw up. Fuck._

I was trying to ignore the commotion before I heard Annabeth essentially tear her vocal chords with her scream. “Percy!” Frank was trying to grab her and Piper was on the floor as if she’d been shoved. She was halfway across the room to Percy. Piper and Frank almost had gotten her out of the doors. Percy was talking or something, but too many things were going on. I was being overstimulated. _I need to focus on one thing. Choose,_ my head frantically whispered.

Deciding to return my attention to my friend, I saw he was now standing. Percy turned his head, and then the rest of him followed. It was creepy, but not in a cult classic horror movie way where the head did a total 180. He moved like a human would, but it was more rigid, more stiff. 

I met his eyes. They were pure gold. The room seemed to drop 20 degrees. 

Percy Jackson, someone I considered a best friend, was no longer a mortal. He had the same living vibration as something else. Similar to a monster, or a God, or an automaton. Living, but not human.


	7. caedis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Several Gods and immortal beings visit Percy Jackson to explain. This just leaves more questions for Percy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW:  
> talking about death  
> eye horror/gore  
> blood and gore  
> abuse mention  
> self harm
> 
> all the gore is likely to go downhill from here on out!

_**PERCY’S P.O.V.** _

Look, I never wanted to be a demigod. But right now, I wish I was.

Leo stood there, empty water bottle in his hand. His face was pure shock. Then Will and Kayla, who were still kneeling on the ground, were scared. Scared of me. But also analyzing what had just happened. Piper was also on the floor, frozen with intrigue and fear. Frank had bent over to help her up but was frozen, looking at me with a kind of fear and respect that powerful people thought they owed. It was a forced and survival look at me. Nico was passed out, and Hazel was bent over him to examine, but she guarded over her brother like I was a monster.

I am a monster.

“No, you’re a god.” A voice echoed in my head.

Worst of all was Annabeth. Any amount of terror in her eyes I’d ever seen in Tartarus was worse than that. Her irises shook in fear. She was still, as if trembling or breathing would end in her death. Annabeth was afraid of me.

Everyone was.

I took a step back. This can’t be true. I’m a demigod. I’m a human, a mortal. I never wanted this. A small part of me said,  _ What if you’re wrong? _ I had to try at least.

“No. No no no no,” I gasped. I needed proof. I needed to know now. Digging my fingers into my eye socket, ignoring the pain, ignoring the horrifying yells, the tugging on my hand to remove it. But everyone stopped and I brought my hand down. It was covered in silky golden blood. Ichor. 

“Your eye,” Will said faintly. Someone fumbled and found something reflective. My eyes were golden. You could see the damage I did to myself start to repair on its own.

“Ichor,” Hazel breathed. I shook as I stared at my reflection. The ichor on my hands. The golden eyes. I could hear everyone's heart beats, their blood pumping, the water in the pipes underneath, the storm clouds above, the medicine in the cabinets.

“No…” I felt dread inside of me. “No… I said no…” I tore out of the infirmary, where few campers had begun to wake up and do rounds on chores before the day started. 

“Zeus! Get down here!” I screamed at the sky. I didn’t want this. I turned down being immortal for a reason, and now to give it to me regardless? This must be a cruel joke. I felt electricity from behind me, and when I turned, I was face to face with Zeus. God of the skies, king of the Gods.

“Percy Jackson,” He greeted grimly.

“What’s the meaning of this?” I yelled angrily. The storm above us grew anxious to wreck.

“I didn’t make you this.” Bullshit. Bullshit. Only a God can make gods and only Zeus can approve giving someone immortality.

The ground rumbled in agreement, and when I turned again, stood face to face with Hebe, two girls standing behind her. 

“He’s correct.” Hebe gave a short bow to Zeus. 

“So what is the meaning of making him a God, without my permission?” Zeus was angry. I was angry. Campers behan to mill around, but didn’t dare to speak or get close. 

“The people made him this.” One girl from behind stepped up. She held a scroll, and had stars in her eyes. Calliope, muse of epic poetry. 

“Oh, the beautiful stories they told of you Perceus Jackson!” She cried out almost comically. “The monsters talk about the waves that destroyed them, the mortals of the boy who was a fugitive, the camper who headed two wars, the demigod who survived Tartarus! Oh, those are such wonderful stories, if only someone made them into some poems!” Calliope gave a small bow and stepped back.

“And the misery too,” The other girl had stepped up now. She had tears that never ceased to run down her face, and eyes milky white. Melpomene, I remembered. Muse of tragedy. A crying mask was gripped in her hands, holding it over her chest like it was precious.

“All the monsters that cursed you,” She sighed, and I shuddered. Sometimes the arai’s curses felt like they never faded. I took an uneasy step back. Annabeth’s gasp could be heard also. “All the monsters that died at your hands, all your friends in the wars, so much blood on a poor 12 year old’s hands… all the betrayals!” She took a shuddering sob. “The abuse you endured even before demigod life, Tartarus, a horrible place, horrible thing!” She cried some more. Honestly, if anyone should be crying it’s me. 

“A shroud burned for the son of Poseidon, all the mortals who saw your suffering… So much misery!” Something popped inside of me. I could hear the pipes running under me explode. Sorry, to whoever may be using the bathrooms at the moment. The girl stepped back in sobs. Hebe looked at me and stepped forward.

“You’re so young, little Perceus. Healthy and alive, after everything that’s happened to you. It's no wonder the things people have talked about you turned you into a God.” Hebe took her warm hands and cradled my face. She smelled like my mom. “We had no part in this, but we know sometimes power of mass is greater than the Gods.” In the reflection of the youth Goddess’s eyes, I could see my golden eyes dim until my old blue eyes were back. 

“Caedis,” Three voices hissed from behind. I whipped around and staggered back. “Son of a mortal,” one spoke. “Son of a god,” another spoke. “And blessed by Chaos.” the last one said. They began to trade sentences.

“Warrior by demigods.”

“Demon by mortals.”

“Monster by monsters.”

“Feared by gods.”

“Bringer of destruction.”

“Center of stories.”

“Perseus Jackson.”

“Reborn again.”

“Purified by his own hand.” Suddenly, all three spoke.

“Caedis the God of blood, ichor, myths, and poison.” I couldn't breathe. 

“Get out.” The fates didn’t waiver. Hadn’t they made me suffer enough? A rope snapped inside. So many things had been holding me back, or containing me. I could feel them slowly break. I attacked one of the Fates. I wasn’t sure who. I don’t remember what was happening until a voice rang out to me.

“Percy,” It said gently. I looked into stormy grey eyes, filled with warmth and concern, and maybe some fear, but I could torture myself over that later. Annabeth.  _ Home. _

I rolled off the Fate, who vanished with her sisters. I looked up at the sky. It was probably only 5:30 at the earliest. Annabeth helped me to my feet and I hugged her. She took me away from the chaos of campers shouting, whispering, crying. Away from Hebe and the Muses, away from Zeus, from Chiron, Mr. D, away from the rest of the seven, away from Nico and Will. I looked up and saw Jason Grace again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if i trigger warning the wrong stuff lmk it kinda blends together for me since it’s just one long doc GHDJSB


	8. start of a long day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annabeth deals with Percy and the Gods.   
> Rachel knows this is not going to be good.  
> Hazel observes the mood.  
> Piper asks herself questions. She thinks about her complex relationship with Jason, and why he has appeared now, all of a sudden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW:  
> mentions of injuries  
> talk of blood and poison  
> brief mention of violence/murder

_**ANNABETH’S P.O.V.** _

Percy was lying on an infirmary bed.

“My blood,” he swallowed thickly as if trying to hold back words. “My blood was poisoning me. Demigods have ichor in their blood, but it’s so small it’s insignificant.” He sighed. I brushed his stupid seaweed hair with my fingers. No one dared to enter the infirmary with us inside.

“The human blood in me started to poison me. I had to expel it. Out of myself. Like with Akhlys.” He shut his eyes again, shuddering. I shuddered too. 

“You know what Caedis is in Latin?” I knew. I nodded and replied grimly, “Murder. Bloodshed. Slaughter.” I listed the synonyms of it for English. He nodded.

“But your name is still Perseus. You are still Percy Jackson.” He gave a small sob.

“I turned down immortality for a reason. I didn’t want to outlive my mom. And now that there’s Estelle and Paul… I didn’t want to see everyone die, or the world end again. Now I want to grow up seeing my sister become older. I want to grow up to live in New Rome with you. Or anywhere, as long as it’s with you. I turned down immortality so I could live a normal life. And now I've been given it without any reason.” I wiped my tears and kissed his salty lips. Any trace of blood was nowhere to be seen or tasted.

“It’s going to be okay.” I whispered. “We can ask Zeus to make you mortal again. Like Apollo.” I hoped it’d be true, but Apollo was born a god and Percy was made one. One was immortal by Zeus’ hand, the other the result of a creation by mortals.

“Maybe.” He sounded pessimistic.

“C’mon seaweed brain, it’ll turn out fine.” He didn’t say anything, so we just sat. I hummed to him, running my fingers through his hair. 

“I can hear everyone talking about me.” He mumbled. Percy’s eyes were shut and his brow furrowed in annoyance or pain, possibly both.  _ Oh right, _ I thought.  _ Names have power and now that I guess Percy’s a God, he can hear all of the people using his name. Which must be a lot. Many campers were watching and the news will likely spread.  _

“How can I help?” I really didn’t know, and I hate not knowing. At least it gives me some incentive to figure it out quickly. Percy rolled to face where I sat besides him.

“I don’t know.” He couldn't meet my eyes, but he sounded so small, so scared, tired, sad. Voice cracking with fear, of not knowing that’s next, of all the  _ what ifs? _

“Do you want to ask Zeus right now to reverse this?” Percy shrugged halfheartedly. Seeing him do everything with half of a heart, and that only half breaking too, hurt. You never know how much you love someone until you realize your best friend is unravelling before your eyes and you know you’d do anything to save them.

“I’ll get him,” I decided. I stood and peeked outside the doors, where Chiron, Hebe, Zeus, and surprisingly Poseidon were talking. The Muses and Fates were gone though. Scanning the outside, I couldn’t see any of the other seven, nor Nico, Will, or Kayla anywhere. I’d worry about them later. I stepped out. 

“Sorry, but may I talk to you Zeus, sir?” Zeus turned to me, ears popping with the pressure of electricity in the room. “Speak,” He allowed.

“When you took –turned– Apollo into a mortal that one time, do you suppose you could do that to Percy?” I shoved down my hope, not allowing it to leak into my question. As a daughter of Athena, I should know not to get my hopes up, so I wouldn’t. Not outwardly. Zeus stared at me with electric blue eyes, so similar to Jason’s.

Jason. Where was he now, what part did he play in all of this?  _ One task at a time Annabeth,  _ I chided. Off topic and going on tangents even in my mind.

Rather than the king of the Gods speaking, Hebe answered. She was beautiful, rivaling Aphrodite in looks, not that she’d say such things. Demigods have had enough wars, and I knew better than to start a second Trojan War. The Goddess of youth had princess curls not unlike mine, but the colors were a mix of strawberry blonde, platinum, burnt blonde, and a milk chocolate brown. Her eyes shimmered in the color of nectar, a syrupy gold, her skin the color of rich forest earth, cold, but comforting. Damp and quiet, yet full of life. Hebe was indeed the Goddess of youth; the strong waves of playfulness, naivety, and warmth emanating off of her. The only thing troubled was her face. She was frowning, and I knew why.

“It may not work. Apollo could have his immortality taken because not many mortals worship him, besides demigods. Percy on the other hand, I’m afraid if we try, with the way people keep talking about him will just reestablish his God status.” She sighed and looked out to all of the campers milling around in the early morning. Lots of them were talking, and I wanted to shut them up so Percy would stop hearing all of their gossip. Hebe took a breath, heavy. She was the Goddess of youth but at this moment seemed to age eons. “Percy was made a God by mortals and monsters alike. Even some Gods and other immortal beings. No one has had this happen in millennia, and the few people who have been made Gods by worship and now by Zeus or any other immortal being, never saw it as a negative, but I can see why Percy does.” Hebe smiled sadly in the direction of the door that led to the infirmary, to Percy. “But it won’t hurt to try,” She said, turning to Zeus, who gave a grunt and went through the doors. I went to follow, but Chiron stopped me, pulling me aside. 

“How are you, my dear?” He asked, gentle and paternal almost. I looked away with a heavy weight in my chest, with a tight throat, shut eyes. I can’t cry. I need to be strong for him. 

“It’s okay to be not alright.” The centaur placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. I took a breath, trying to steady the words I was lining up in my mouth to say.

“I need to be strong for him. I can’t make this about me.” Chiron shook his head besides me. “No, allow yourself to grieve. Help him, be strong for him, but don’t forget you can let your guard down too.” I nodded, not fighting a shuddering breath, allowing few tears to run.

Annabeth Chase is a selfish demigod. But maybe it was okay for me to be.

* * *

_**RACHEL’S P.O.V.** _

So Percy Jackson was a God now. I guess that vision  _ did _ have a meaning, and it wasn’t merely a weird dream that Percy was painted as a gold statue to raise money for penguins at the zoo. I can’t remember why that was the first thing that came to mind, but perhaps it reminded me of the one art project I pulled years ago, right before the Second Titan War. I hurried behind Piper, who had come to fetch me. My feet ached. Stupid wood chips in these flip flops. 

No one told me yet, but I knew. Piper was worried, saying the seven needed to meet up. The Oracle of Delphi showed me glimpses of what had just happened moments ago. I nodded and hurried too. 

More often than not, the Oracle would speak things that never ended up good for the demigods of Camp Half-Blood, especially for Percy Jackson. 

This wasn’t good.

* * *

**_HAZEL’S P.O.V_ **

Dread settled heavy in my stomach, and the rubies and diamonds wouldn't stop appearing, even though I’d gotten a grasp on them for almost a year now. Nico noticed and he placed a hand on top of mine. I rested my head on his shoulder. 

The others paced around bunker nine. The blood had magically vanished, leaving no visible trace behind. Leo was fiddling with that Archimedes sphere of his, while Frank watched him silently. Will and Kayla were chatting in hushed tones. They weren’t hiding what they were saying to us, but the quiet in the room was so loud it felt dangerous to break it.

Piper was gone, fetching Rachel Elizabeth Dare. 

As for Annabeth, she was still with Percy. This was going to be a long day, and the sun had yet to come up.

* * *

_**PIPER’S P.O.V.** _

My lungs burned, but not in the good way of taking a gulp of air from resurfacing after being thrown off your surfboard. They burned in the way you ran for your life even though you were exhausted. I suppose this time I was running for someone else’s life. 

Millions of questions swirled in my mind, even as I ran through the forest with Rachel.

_ How do you become a God through the worship of people? _

_ Why didn’t famous mortals, or demigods become Gods? _

_ How did Zeus have no control over this? _

_ What did Jason have to do in all of this? _

I didn’t see Jason, but Hazel, Nico, and Will vouched. I hadn’t gotten to talk to Percy or Annabeth beyond trying to charmspeak my best friend into a tranquilized state, but I believed that Jason was here.

But Hazel said it was like he was controlled by Eidolons again, which just puzzled me more. Could spirits even possess other spirits? My heart ached. While Annabeth and Leo were my best friends, Jason was too. Maybe he was the closest with me, from all our shared time dating. Even if I don’t love him like that, didn't love him like that, never will love him like that, he was –is– still so important. I love Jason. Loved. Whatever. I try not to dwell on it.

Rachel and I arrived at bunker nine, essentially crashing through the doors. Everyone turned to us, then looked at Rachel expectedly. I bent over, panting from the far run. Rachel did the same, before someone –Kayla– offered us some water. We both chugged it down.

“Let’s all go sit down,” Leo suggested. He was not looking at Rachel or I, simply diffling with that sphere of his. His voice was subdued, lacking the excitement and liveliness in it. We opted to sit on a huge landing, where the Argo II was constructed. It was a raised concrete platform, which had a few discarded and deactivated Automatons here and there. It almost looked like a dojo, if I didn’t know any better.

So we sat in a large circle. Flashbacks to after the House of Hades, sitting in the shade of the ship, green grass and salty ocean air whipping around our faces. Annabeth and Percy were in bad shape, but they insisted on staying on the ground for a moment more. Everyone wasn’t going to deny their requests, so we had to settle with being okay with them using some ambrosia and nectar until we could get them up to the ship.

Maybe those were simpler times.

“So what now?” Frank asked.

“That’s always the question,” Nico replied.

“Unfortunately.” My addition, unhelpful. Everyone looked around uncertain and in fear. 

This was going to be a very long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI ANNOUNCEMENTS  
> 1) i edited some few minor things from last chapters, mostly punctuation and spelling errors.   
> 2) i forgot to open asks on my tumblr blog, but now they are open so you can send stuff to it! my pjo blog is @percysichor  
> 3) i'm taking short fic requests on my tumblr! it can be a character, friendship, relationship, with an AU or trope, etc. i'll likely write it!  
> 4) if you have ideas where this fic should go, cool things you think of with dark!percy, please let me know! i love getting feed back and ideas from my readers, and i'll definitely give you creds for helping me out haha.
> 
> ok thats all thanks  
> stay healthy, safe, and cool y'all!


	9. wake up.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy is dramatic. Let him be!!  
> Annabeth kind of hates this.  
> Jason's ends and beginnings.
> 
> (also slight jercy for the soul)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** SPOILERS FOR TRIALS OF APOLLO **
> 
> TW:  
> death  
> mentions of blood  
> injuries  
> self harm mentions  
> eye horror  
> slight gore and blood

_**PERCY'S P.O.V.** _

To say this sucked was an understatement. I was trying to block out all the noise.

“Did you hear Percy Jackson was turned into a God?”

“Gods, and the Fates even showed up to talk to Percy, also some other Gods and stuff…”

“Why’s he upset about turning into a God? I’d totally have joined the hunters of Artemis if I could still date guys....”

“Poor Percy, I heard him screaming when I passed by the infirmary, on my way to feed the pegasi.”

It was all Percy Jackson this, Percy Jackson that. It felt like you were at a huge house party and everyone was talking about you. Some you could pick out their conversations easily, some were harder. I didn’t know how to turn it off.  _ Ugggggghhhhhhhhhh…. _

“Did you hear Poseidon came? To see Percy?” Now that one got my attention. As I opened my eyes, ready to get off the bed to go see for myself, the doors opened. Annabeth? Nope. It was however, Zeus, Hebe, and as that one camper mentioned, my dad.

“Percy,” He greeted softly. I simply fell back onto the bed dramatically. Let me have this, okay? Like, c’mon. I can be dramatic this time. For once. Just this time. Aurgh. I let out a muffled  _ mmrrphh _ sound from under my arm. 

“Do you want me to try and turn you back into a mortal, boy?” Zeus thundered. When I say that, I mean literally. A storm had already been brewing outside since I woke up, no doubt my doing. Accidental, but my fault. Now that Zeus and my dad were here… I’m just hoping we don’t end up flooding Long Island. I sat up and looked at Zeus. By looked, I mean glared.

“Yes,” I snapped. “Sorry,” I said more gently. “Yes please.” Zeus stepped forward before Hebe placed a small hand on her father’s arm.

“Are you positive? It may not work, and may deal you great pain.” Her voice was soft, quiet, and gentle, similar how you’d speak to a small child. It didn’t feel patronizing however, but maternal. If I closed my eyes I might’ve been able to hear my mom’s voice.

Oh Gods, my mom. I tried avoiding thinking about Sally, Estelle, and Paul. I’d brought it up with Annabeth just moments earlier, but I shoved it back down into the chamber of my brain labeled:  _ “Do not open or you might lose it.”  _ How was my mom going to take this? Would I have to grow up to see my little baby sister grow old and die, while I remained 18 forever? Paul would have to deal with having a step son who’s immortal, with the strain I’d cause my mother.

And Annabeth. I didn’t bring it up to her, but mortal and God relationships never work. Look around at Camp Half-Blood. I had to win a war and make the gods swear to claim their children by age 13. If I didn’t make them swear to it, the Hermes cabin would be half of the camp. How would Annabeth and I work out? She grows up and I’m still 18. I’ll be holding her back. But a life without Annabeth… Now I understood why some Gods and Goddesses were so lonely.

That scared me, understanding the Gods on a personal level. How long until I’d believe I was superior to demigods or humans? How long until I’d send campers to their deaths, knowing I could do enough to stop it myself?

“Yes. Anything to be mortal again.” Locking eyes with Hebe, I nodded. She gave me a sad smile and removed her arm from Zeus’ arm, which he now moved forward towards me.

* * *

**_ANNABETH’S P.O.V._ **

Chiron made me wait outside. We didn’t speak. Sitting next to each other, looking at the storm that brewed ahead. Piper had asked to meet at bunker nine if I could, but I’d feel guilty about leaving Percy.

Percy Jackson, the boy I loved since I was 12, who I took a knife for, who fell into Tartarus for me, who sacrificed so much for others, the one who turned down immortality because he never wanted to be like a God, he never wanted to outlive everyone he loved. Percy Jackson, now a God, one of his biggest fears. I didn’t know what to do. He was terrifying, expelling the toxic blood out of him. The way he attacked one of the Fates. The way his eyes turned gold, and his desperate attempts to draw blood and see if he was really a God. My heart ached, and I just let the tears slide down my cheeks. 

No one dared to look over to me. 

* * *

_**JASON’S P.O.V.** _

Being a hero sucks sometimes. 

It sucks a lot of times actually.

When Leo died, we knew he sacrificed himself for us. I couldn’t help but feel angry at the Gods, at Leo, at myself. I angrily built shrines non-stop, only thinking about the construction of them, the designs of them, and asking the Gods how they could take someone away for helping them. Sometimes I wanted to march down to the Underworld and throttle Hades myself. I blamed Leo, for making a choice and not telling me. I always believed I needed to be the one to die. He didn’t deserve it, and that he was selfish for making the choice. The anger about him quickly turned into misery and grief, and nothing more. Most of all, I was angry at myself for letting him do it. For letting him think he was the 7th wheel, my best friend. I was angry at myself that my best friend died and I let him. I punished myself by working on the shrines, not taking breaks to eat or sleep. I distanced myself. I pushed away from Piper.

We broke up. I knew it was going to happen. We both felt the fabricated romantic relationship between us. It was strained for a while, but we remained friends. Piper came out to me, everything made more sense. I wish I spent more time with my best friend who was still alive, but I’d already run off to a boarding school.

A while into the year, some monsters came, and then Apollo followed. Piper was there, as well as a daughter of Demeter, named Meg.

Leo was alive.

Piper or I was going to die.

Suddenly, I understood Leo’s reasons.

Even if Piper wasn’t one for me romantically, I couldn’t deny I felt as if we were soulmates. Piper felt that a little too. After everything, how could we stop holding onto each other? Even as friends, we could talk, even after breaking up, even after fighting, after anything we’d still be able to talk. 

When Apollo told me Piper or I was going to die, I knew there was no “or” in there. It was always going to be me.

Being a hero sucks, but seeing your best friend and soulmate die is worse. I remember most of it. Atop Tempest, with my sword. Arrows were embedded everywhere, on my arms, legs, body. I didn’t remember the pain because of the adrenaline, but I did remember thinking,  _ I can only buy time now. Even if I made it out, I’ve lost too much blood.  _ I shouted at the sun God. I couldn’t meet Piper’s eyes. I didn’t want to see it.

“Get out of here! Go! GO! Remember!”

Next thing I knew, I was on the ship’s deck, a spear through my shoulder, and a sword in my back.

Being judged, being sent to Elysium. I saw lots of the demigods who died, Roman and Greek. They were all saddened to see me, but heroes all die. 

•••••••

Somehow, I woke up on top of Zeus’ cabin. It reminded me of Piper, but the stars were not up and a storm was starting. I looked down and saw Percy. I didn’t know how I got there, or why I was here. But something was wrong.

I touched Percy’s cheek gently. Sometimes I’d feel the need to do that to him. Hold him when he didn’t want to trouble Annabeth with his PTSD because she was dealing with her own. Cusp him in my hands, let him know he’d be fine, he’d be safe. 

He wasn’t.

“Wake up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GOD I HATE MYSELF  
> this hurt to write. in all my other universes jasons alive but this is the #1 angst fic so i have to have him be dead im sorry dhfsjhf
> 
> BUT the last few tags,,,, ;]
> 
> also u can have plationic soulmates and multiple best friends fight me on this i dare you


	10. prophecy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> no tw for this chapter other than jason death but he's been dead for 10 chapters anyways...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes i did make up my own myth for the purpose of this fic  
> yes its gay  
> yes i kind of hate it  
> yes its stupid but oh well

_**HAZEL’S P.O.V.** _

“So the Gods are just going to fix this?” Piper scoffed. “They don’t give a shit about us. They don’t even care if Percy’s… One of them.” She winced. “They literally give no fucks about anyone here.” She scowled. I nodded hesitantly. Piper was being crass and I didn’t like to agree with her.. Word choice, but her claim was true.

“Yeah. Rachel, you don’t have a saving Percy from immortality prophecy coming up, do ya?” Leo joked. I cracked a small smile with a few others. Thank you Leo, for breaking the tension.

“I wish. I hope,” Rachel confessed, her normally crystal emerald eyes were dim, foggy. Not in the same way a prophecy would come, but the way people stared off into nothing, thinking, hurting, or both.

“I think… For now we can just wait and hope that the Gods can fix this.” I said softly, playing with a ruby that had popped up near my knees. Some people nodded.

“I just… Wish it didn’t even happen to begin with,” Frank said. I knew Percy and him weren’t the closest, but we’d all gone to Alaska together, we fought a war together… We all cared for each other, even if we got busy with our own lives. I put a hand on his shoulder. Leo put one on his knee. He seemed more comforted by it.

“Ok, I guess we’ll just wait and see,” Kayla said, announcing it to the circled demigods (+ Rachel). 

Just as everyone was standing to leave, Rachel stiffened.

•••••••

“Thirteen miles beyond the sound

orca whales you’ll find the crown 

then sixteen, the wraith is for

similar to the angel’s protector

rebirth will happen but not the same

seven days is the race of this game.”

•••••••

Everyone looked at her in shock, the two Apollo campers grabbing the redhead before she could fall to the floor. The group of demigods who had just been ready to leave, sat back down. 

“We need to dissect this quickly. It sounds like we have seven days to complete this quest,” Piper announced, lacing charmspeak into her voice. I could feel the tug of her words urging me to sit under a desk and analyze every letter. 

Frank fidgeted. “I think the first two lines are about Seattle. Like, the Puget Sound. They have orca whales there too.” I nodded, adding on. “I think they have a museum exhibit right now about an Ancient Greek golden laurel crown,” Earlier in the week, I was walking around New Rome, and passed by some of the history buffs from my class discussing it.   
“Okay, so we go what, thirteen miles out to the sound, where whales are?”

“Sounds like it.”  
“Why would orcas have a crown?”

“Maybe it’s symbolic?”

“Guys, next line,” Leo added in urgency. To my surprise he hadn’t joined in on the discussion of real vs. fake orcas.  
“Then sixteen, the wraith is for,” Will added. Rachel was napping on the nearby couch. 

“Wraith is another word for a spirit. Ghose. Apparition. Whatever you like to call residing ghosts of dead people,” Nico offered. “Maybe the ghost they’re talking about is Jason?” He suggested. Piper paled, but spoke softly.

“Why else would he be here? I think you’re right, Nico.”

“Angel’s protector…” Now Kayla mused too. 

“Nico, your name, di Angelo, means ‘of the angels’, correct?” Piper spoke. He nodded.

“Maybe it’s about you. Any ideas?” Nico thought.

“Bianca.” Will grabbed Nico’s hand. If I recall correctly, Bianca was his full sister. She would’ve been my sister too. I took his other hand.

“She always protected me from everything. She had a nickname, although… short-lived. ‘Angel of angels” or “Guardian angel”. It was just a nickname, but she became a huntress of Artemis to protect me as well.” Nico thickly swallowed. “The next line, ‘rebirth will happen but not the same’. Bianca was reborn after she died.” 

“Can’t be a coincidence,” Leo announced. Frank nudged him, as if to say  _ Be more sensitive, Leo! _

“So assuming Jason will be reborn, but not the same way as Bianca?” I said. The others nodded in agreement with my recap.

Suddenly, (as everything seemed to be sudden these days) Rachel gasped and flew up. 

“Jason had a chance at reclaiming mortal status,” She sounded as if she’d smoked her whole life. Rachel collapsed back and Kayla scurried over to help the oracle. 

“So. We go to Seattle, find a crown, and then somehow use it to revive Jason.” Everyone nodded.

“Where does Percy fit in this, then?” I asked. I wanted Jason back, but we needed Percy to stay too. Nico spoke slowly.

“I think we trade his immortality for Jason’s rebirth.”

* * *

**_NO P.O.V._ **

Long time ago, Eleos was a popular god. Worshipped by Athenians and other Greeks, for mercy. Mercy from pain, mercy from debt, mercy from heartache. Worshiped for compassion, from a lover, a friend, a mother. 

One day, Eleos fell in love with a beautiful mortal. Aphrodite was jealous of their love, was jealous that the citizens of Greece kept paying to Eleos for compassion, mercy, pity. Especially when it was prayers about love, heartache, longing. 

The mortal was a beautiful young lady, who wrote poetry. Her name was Sappho. When the mortal was appraised for her work, Aphrodite sat in, pretending to be a mortal. She wanted to see this woman’s work. Aphrodite knew why Eleos was so in love with this woman. How could she not? This Sappho was beautiful, in so many ways. Aphrodite knew the love this woman held for her, but the love for Eleos was greater. Aphrodite felt her anger for Eleos grow. She wanted the woman, not Eleos. One day, the mortal poet was given a celebratory gold laurel crown. 

Aphrodite cursed the woman, to break Eleos’s heart. As long as the woman wore the crown, she could feel love for Eleos. When the crown was gone, Sappho would merely feel wrath for the minor goddess.

Aphrodite stole the crown, tossing it into the sea. Misery took over Eleos, and she was not prayed to again, s her depression swept over her, disabling her ability to fulfill those prayers. 

She and her lover had been forgotten, unwritten, untold. Only those who knew were Aphrodite, Eleos, Sappho, and Misery. 

Eleos still weeps in self pity, miserable for her lover, waiting for the day the crown washed up on the shore, so she could get her love back.

* * *

_**ANNABETH’S P.O.V.** _

It didn’t work. Percy was still a god. He cried with me. We’d been through so much, and to now feel as if it was the end? What could we do, but hold on to what felt like that ledge back in Rome? We knew we’d drop eventually. Everything would soon go to hell. 

That’s what it felt like right now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi! story is halfway over, im planning on 18 chapters, 1 chapter per quest day (7) and then an epilogue. i might add 2 more chapters to even it out to 20 chapters, but i need to figure out events of what's gonna happen!
> 
> anyways, im working on story ideas for my next pjo fic, and i have several ideas and would like yall to vote in comments and/or on my blog (@percysichor on tumblr) OR you can give me prompts too! (if u send them to my tumblr i'll be more likely to write it) SO NOW THE OPTIONS:
> 
> 1) highschool au, i just love these!!! main ship will probably be percabeth since im a sucker for them, but i might focus on something else.   
> a] angsty hs au, so it'll probably focus on percy and estelle and sally, being in a house with gabe and dealing with abuse during high school, more angst than the other one  
> b] fluffy hs au, oblivious pining idiots who cant comprehend the other likes eachother, ensue friends trying to get them to confess, confessions gone wrong, etc.   
> c] angst/fluff, hurt/comfort: both plot lines. percy is abused at home but also crushing on annabeth and his friends are trying to both help him and set him up with annabeth. hurt and comfort, fluff and angst!!
> 
> 2) character studies on percy and leo and abuse (ok let me write about abuse, i like to self project! and it can bring some sort of light to different types of abuse and how ptsd can form and show, etc.) and maybe a percy + leo friendship/past friendship?
> 
> 3) mini about percy and annabeth after tartarus (probably 1-5 chapters at most)
> 
> 4) piper and percy friendship, idk what about but i need more bonding with them (so pls send suggestions lol) also will be mini and 1-5 chapters
> 
> 5) more dark!percy/powerful percy. probably one shots, but i want to write percy using blood bending and scaring some people on accident
> 
> 6) solangelo! i really want to explore nico being sweeter and softer and will being more scary and emo (contrary to outer appearances) nico's a nerd, he likes mythomagic, let him be more excitable after losing a lot of his childhood. will has lived at camp for most of his life, lost his siblings, works at the infirmary (and during tlo probably saw many deaths) so i think he's definitely going to be more angry or in grief  
> a] solangelo but nico deals with tartarus after hand, percy and annabeth have it bad, but he was there alone and nearly driven to insanity, so i wanna explore that
> 
> if you have other ideas, again send them to me!!! i will also be starting a oneshot fic comp, so like all my oneshots per chapter. i'm currently waiting for a badthingshappen bingo so watch out for that on my tumblr too :)


	11. authors note

hi!! i just wanted to say this: i am NOT abandoning this story.  
however, I will be going on a break from writing this story as i've lost motivation for it, and i'm gonna try mapping the plot points out which will help me get my motivation back.this shouldn't take more than a month!

in the mean time, i will be starting a new pjo fic! within these next 2 weeks, there will also be the post-tartarus nico oneshot posted.

1/25 bad things happen bingo slots have been requested. i need more to write! send me a prompt from the bingo (and optional, a ship/character. if you don't i'll chose one)! the bingo sheet and my askbox (where i'll take requests) are on my tumblr, @percysichor ! if you go to my works under my ao3 name on this website, you can also read the first bad things happen oneshot!

essentially, my work lineup is looking like this:

1st priority: any requested bad things happen bingo prompts  
2nd priority: new pjo fic ;)  
3rd priority: post-tartarus nico oneshot  
4th priority: this fic  
5th priority: other requested oneshots/fics

THANK YOU for being so supportive of this fic so far and im gonna repeat that i am NOT abandoning it! i will be back to writing this fic!!!

**Author's Note:**

> Follow my pjo blog on tumblr: @bisexual-percy  
> OR  
> Follow my main blog on tumblr: @diabeticdyke
> 
> +++
> 
> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos keep me going. You can send asks on my pjo tumblr about this fic, other au ideas, drabble requests, headcannons, and more! I'd seriously love it if you did. Thanks again! :3c


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